Saint Paul receives grant awards to fund 2011 Summer EMS Academy

SAINT PAUL – After a very competitive process, the City of Saint Paul has received $20,000 from the Spectrum Trust Multi-Cultural Endowment sponsored by The Saint Paul Foundation and a $50,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation, to assist in funding the 2011 Summer EMS Academy which will be held in mid-June 2011.

Now in it’s second year, the nationally acclaimed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification program designed for low-income youth ages 18-21 that are residents of Ramsey County. The Academy is a partnership between the City of Saint Paul’s Parks and Recreation Youth Job Corps (YJC), Saint Paul Fire Department, the Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO), and Inver Hills Community College. Participants are hired and paid to attend a ten-week certification and job competency program. The goal of the program is to build an EMT workforce that is reflective of the communities that First Responders serve in Saint Paul.

“These grants are recognition of the incredible work being done in Saint Paul to provide our residents with the tools they need to succeed. The Emergency Medical Services Academy teaches students skills that will save lives while opening the door for those who otherwise may not have seen a career in the medical field as a possibilty,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.

“This initiative strengthens our community’s economic capacity, access to new careers, and participation in a workforce that has promotional opportunities across many fields. The Academy is the start of a new beginning that will have a generational impact for many of these families,” said Luz María Frías, Director of Saint Paul’s Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO). “We are grateful to the philanthropic community for making this happen.”

The Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity is continuing to solicit additional funds which will be targeted for a 2011 Fall EMS Academy. For more information about the EMS Academy, please visit www.ehs.net/emsacademy.